Too Many Healthcare Workers Skipping Flu Jab, Says CDC
By Donald A. Donahue, Jr., DHEd, FACHE
At least 36 percent of healthcare workers are not taking flu vaccinations, according to a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 84 percent of doctors have been vaccinated compared to only 70 percent of nurses. The authors say that healthcare workers need to get vaccinated, not only to protect themselves but also family members and patients. Vaccinating HCPs against the flu has been demonstrated to minimize absenteeism and illness and well as reducing influenza transmission to other health care professionals, family members, and patients.
See: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/233122.php
The lower prevalence of influenza immunizations – more than a third of healthcare workers opting to go unprotected – is a reflection of a general downturn in vaccination compliance. This trend has resulted in an increase in otherwise preventable diseases, including measles, whooping cough, and influenza, often with deadly consequences. The flu is particularly challenging, as the disease is contagious before symptoms emerge. This means that someone might be infected and infecting others before they know they are ill. This poses a particular danger to the very young, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems. During the 2009 H1N1 outbreak, it was estimated that as many as one third of those infected exhibited no symptoms. Unwitting exposures can increase absenteeism, drive up healthcare costs, and threaten lives. The CDC has estimated as many as 49,000 people have died in some years due to flu-related causes, roughly the population of Joplin, Missouri or Santa Cruz, California. What role do those who forgo immunization play in this toll? A simple shot can prevent a deadly transmission, whereas being unprotected can make you a carrier. Which side of this equation do you want to be on?